This time, there was a ‘record’ to break. In June ’92, Rolf Versen in a 19m Catamaran had set a time of 89h 18m 17s at an average speed of 23.29 knots for the 2.080 nautical miles distance and to win the ‘Steigenburger Trophy’.

After a month of activity, which included winning the World Championship, the crew were ready to go.

She set sail at 18.00 on the 31st of July and, similarly to their previous record, the first leg was quite reasonable albeit facing rough weather crossing the ‘Gulf of Lion’, and they arrived in Gibraltar setting an average speed of 43.18 knots.

The second refuelling stop was to be in El Ferrol (North West Spain) before they attempted the crossing of the Bay of Biscay.

Upon arrival, the fuel lorry did not show up for nearly half an hour, and when it did, it was thirty years old and so ‘clapped out’, they had to work for over two hours to get the fuel pumps working!

The weather had been deteriorating during this time and, as they turned ‘Cape Finisterre’ to head across the ‘Bay’, the cross sea storm unleashed itself and the crew of FB 80’ had a night of terrible conditions with waves continually breaking over the boat.

Dawn and the sighting of the English coast were a great relief to everyone, arriving under London‘s Tower